Say Yes to the Dress
by cosmictrap
Summary: *For the Houses Competition* Ginny and Hermione go shopping for the perfect dress for Ginny's date with Harry; muggle style shopping that Ginny finds more exciting than shopping for robes.


**Houses Competition:** Year 2, Round 4

 **House:** Hufflepuff

 **Year:** 3

 **Category:** Short

 **Prompt:** [Event]: Dress Shopping

 **Word Count:** 958

 **Beta:** Zoe

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 **Tags:** Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Unseen Moment, Alternate Universe

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 _ **Say Yes to the Dress**_

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Ginny had grown bored of the monotony that came with the magic folks' robes. True, they came in all sorts of colours, and some even had flickering designs, but they all looked the same to her. The few muggle clothes she'd worn over the years were something her father had bought for her, and she'd never really experienced shopping in the sense we know it.

On this note, a couple of weeks after The Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione and Ginny found themselves on the streets of London, popping in and out of dress stores. Ginny found this experience to be so much more fun than standing at Madam Malkins' while the woman poked at her with pins.

The first shop they'd entered, a young woman, Midge, fawned over them, much to Hermione's annoyance but Ginny's delight. She made Ginny feel like she had a lot of options, and she absolutely loved it.

"So, what's the occasion, Miss?" she asked, as she guided them towards the aisle for woman.

"Um, it's a date," said Ginny, flushing pink.

"Oh! How wonderful!" she said, clapping delightedly, as she halted in her steps and gestured towards an assortment of clothes.

"Show her some dresses please," said Hermione at last. "And in green colours, I assume?" she asked with a quirked brow and a small smile.

"Yes, please. Green would be very nice, actually," Ginny said with a nervous chuckle.

Midge nodded and gesturing for them to wait for her near the trouser shelf, she waddled off to find some green dresses.

"Oh my god, Hermione, this is amazing! So she just picks stuff up for you?" asked Ginny, turning to her friend in delight.

Hermione shook her head with amusement. "The excitement will wear off soon, believe me. And most of the time, they show you the most expensive of dresses."

Ginny frowned at that, and turned to see Midge hurrying towards them with a bunch of different green coloured dresses. She walked past them, and looking over her shoulder, she gestured for the girls to follow her to the trial rooms.

"What if I don't like any of those?" asked Ginny worriedly as they followed Midge.

"You can always just say so, Gin," laughed Hermione.

"But that's rude," said Ginny, biting her lower lip.

"And it's your money," shrugged Hermione. "Only get what you really, really like."

"I suppose I could just transfigure it into-"

"Ginny, no!" said Hermione, shaking her head.

"What, why not?" asked Ginny indignantly.

"Well, why don't you just transfigure a tablecloth into a dress of your liking instead of spending money on a new dress?"

Ginny shrugged. "I honestly have always wondered that, you know? But mum would kill me so I didn't really try that and-"

"Heavens, no! Ginny just don't use magic on the dresses okay? I mean, Gin, it's muggles," said Hermione with emphasis. "How will you explain the changed piece to them? And-"

"Okay, okay," said Ginny defeatedly. "No magic on the dresses."

Hermione grinned at her and smiling nervously, Ginny disappeared into the trial room.

And that was the beginning of a shopping trip that would last for hours. Funnily enough, Ginny seemed to be okay with buying almost anything; beginner's excitement. But Hermione was particular. Very, very particular.

"Gin! The price isn't worth the quality!"

"It doesn't fit you right at the hips!"

"This one is definitely one of the older ones. Don't get it."

It was driving Ginny nuts, but she decided to trust Hermione's judgement. Besides, her first stress-free, world-is-not-ending-anymore, date with Harry had to be perfect.

So Midge was only first in the list they disappointed. Then came Sally, Cathy, Robert and Robin. After Robin, Hermione had taken it upon herself to pick Ginny's dress, scuttling between aisles and scrutinising every green dress she lay her eyes on. The dress would then be slung over the trial room Ginny was in, while the 'rejects' would be picked up and handed over to the store assistant after Hermione disapproved.

It was almost in the evening, in a vintage dress shop that they found what they were looking. A perfect satin A-line dress in emerald green, with a boatneck. Hermione had had a feeling that this would be it, so she waited outside the fitting room.

Few minutes later, Ginny peeped through the door with an annoyed frown, surprising Hermione.

"I-It's perfect. Almost," she muttered.

"What is it?" asked Hermione, as Ginny opened the door wider and stood awkwardly with her arms crossed.

"I'm not busty enough to pull this off!" wailed Ginny.

"But it's the right dress! It's just so perfect!" whined Hermione.

"I know," grumbled Ginny.

Hermione looked at Ginny thoughtfully for a few seconds before sighing defeatedly. "I guess we have no choice," she sighed.

Then, she walked into the trial room and closed the door behind her, as Ginny looked at her curiously.

"We'll do this only once, okay?" said Hermione.

"Do what?" asked Ginny suspiciously.

Hermione sheepishly pulled out her wand, shrugging when Ginny looked at her with wide eyes.

"Are you going to-"

"What, no! The dress! I'll make the dress fit you and-"

"But you said no changes to the dress!" said Ginny indignantly.

"I know. But a little fixing won't hurt," said Hermione nonchalantly as she raised her wand and pointed it at Ginny, mumbling the incantation under her breath.

After a second, it was like the dress had come to life for a few moments and suddenly, it fit Ginny perfectly. Ginny grinned at Hermione and Ginny let out a small chuckle. The two women walked out of the store happily, shopping bag in tow, as they both came to an unsaid agreement to do shop - muggle style - more often.


End file.
